Glossary
Here are some brief definitions to help you navigate the medieval world of the Clan McKeran series.
abuela: Spanish for grandmother
abuelo: Spanish for grandfather
acoustic neuroma: a noncancerous tumor on the main nerve leading from the inner ear to the brain
addled: confused
afterlife: life after death
albatross: (used in the context of an unwanted encumbrance) a burden that causes persistent anxiety and resentment
all het up: a southern euphemism for becoming aroused
amigo: Spanish for male friend
amiss: not quite right, inappropriate or out of place
anchor stones: large, heavy stones used as bases for masonry constructions
antediluvian: of or belonging to a time before the flood in the Book of Genesis
Armagnac brandy: a type of alcohol distilled from wine and produced in the Armagnac region of France
armorer: a maker, supplier or repairer of weapons and/or armor
arse: ass
aviary: a large building, cage or enclosure to keep birds inside
awash: covered by or flooded with
Ay Dios Mio: Spanish equivalent to “Oh my God”
B rubble used to fill a space between two stone walls
bafflement: a state of being completely unable to understand or explain something
bailey: a courtyard between two walls of a medieval castle; in this series the land between the stronghold and the inner curtain wall
bairn: Scottish slang for baby or very young child
balooey: Texan slang for bullshit
bannocks: flat, unsweetened cakes or bread made from oatmeal
Baobhan Sith: female fairies in Scottish mythology who appear as beautiful human women in order to seduce their victims before attacking and killing them
bashful: shy
bastart: clanspeak for bastard
bawsack: Scottish slang for testicles
bee in your bonnet: southern slang for thinking obsessively about something
begrudge: to give reluctantly or resentfully
begunk: Scottish slang for someone who is a cheat and a trickster
belittle: make seem unimportant
benign: not harmful
beseech: ask fervently and urgently for someone to do something
besieging: surrounding an enemy’s position and cutting off their supplies in order to force them to surrender
betrothed: promised or engaged to be married
Big Hoss: Polly Carter’s nickname for Tasgall
blootered: Scottish slang for drunk
bo: Japanese wooden fighting staff
boak: Scots slang for vomit
bōjutsu: Japanese martial art using the bo
boon: a helpful gift or favor that adds greatly to someone’s happiness
bootstraps paradox: a type of time-travel loop created by a person or object that has no discernable origin
bowman: archer
brace: challenge, confront
brazier: a heat source consisting of a pan or a stand to hold hot coals
Breitheamh: early Gaelic lawmen
brethren: brothers, close associates
Briseadh: Scots Gaelic for breaker
Briseadh a 'gheasaidh: Scots Gaelic for “Break the spell”
Britannia: archaic name for England
brothels: a house of prostitution
bull pen: a room for a group of people to gather and work
buttery: a storeroom for liquor
cache: a collection of items stored in a hidden or hard to access place
cairngorm stones: a type of smoky quartz found exclusively in the Cairngorm Mountain Range in Scotland
canny: having or showing good judgment; someone shrewd
captioning: voiced audio that has been converted into text
cartel: an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of eliminating competition and maintaining high prices for their products, often used to refer to groups making, smuggling and distributing illegal drugs
catcalls: jeers or other sounds of disapproval and contempt
caul: part of the amniotic membrane that sometimes covers the body or face of a child at birth
caustic: burning, stinging, acidic
chachalaca: Spanish term for someone who talks a lot, a chatterbox
chafe: being irritated at or by something
chai: a type of spicy Indian tea
changeling: a Fae child swapped for a human child by the Fae
chatelaine: a medieval housekeeper
chattels: people who are considered property
chebs: Scottish slang for breasts
Chicana: a female Mexican-American
Chicano: a male Mexican-American
chilaquiles: a traditional Mexican breakfast dish made with tortillas, red or green salsa, pulled chicken, cheese, refried beans and scrambled eggs
chittering: making a chattering or twittering sound
chronicled: recorded in factual, detailed manner
clothes horse: a term used to describe people who are employed to wear clothing, like models
clout: a heavy blow
cochino: Chicano slang for pig, used to describe someone disgusting
cochlear implant: an electronic device embedded in the skull of a deaf or hearing impaired person that gives them a representation of speech or sounds in the environment
coddling: pampering
cognac: a type of French brandy
colossal: giant
commotion: noisy and chaotic disturbance
compatriot: someone who belongs to the same group or organization
compote: fruit cooked or preserved in syrup
contrary: opposite or opposing in nature
concubines: women who are intimate with but not married to the man they live with
conscript: force someone to enlist in the military
copious: abundant
coroner: an official who investigates sudden, suspicious or violent human deaths
corpulent: fat
coshing: hitting
coven: a group of individuals who share a common connection, interest or activity
dais: a raised platform on one end of a hall
dance attendance on: to obsessively and constantly wait on someone else in order to fulfill their every whim and desire
darkling: devoid of light or brightness (used in the series as a double entendre for someone evil and stupid)
deference: show of humbleness and respect
deposed: removed from office suddenly and forcefully
deprivation: the lack or denial of something considered a necessity
discourse essays: essays written with underlying meanings
draoithe: Irish word for druid
dovetail: fit together neatly
dreòlan: Scots Gaelic for wren
Dunfermline: the de facto capital of the Kingdom of Scotland between the 11 th and 15 th centuries
Dumnonii: ancient tribe of Cornwall
Dun Talamh:
eejit: clanspeak for idiot
ells: a medieval Scottish unit of measurement roughly equal to 45”
Elphyne: the otherworld where the Light and Dark courts preside over all Fae
Epcot: An acronym for a Disney World theme park that stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow
ether: a substance once believed by archaic people to occupy all space, including the spaces between particles of matter
exhume: dig up something out of the ground, especially a corpse
exposé: a report of facts that reveals something scandalous or shocking
factor: an estate manager who supervised tenants, collected rents and oversaw the use of the estate’s land
falsehood: lie
fashed: confused, puzzled
Fear-Faire: the name of Harper Ensley’s video channel, also Scots Gaelic for watchman
feign: to pretend or fake
feverfew: a flowering plant in the daisy family used topically to treat pain
filching: stealing
fodder: food for livestock
foray: a sudden attack or incursion into enemy territory
Francia: a medieval name for France
fret: worry, fuss
friends with benefits: friends who are sexually intimate
gabacho: a Chicano term for people who are not Spanish and/or from the United States
gauntlets: armored gloves worn by medieval warriors
gaydar: a combination of the words “gay” and “radar,” the ability to easily identify other people’s sexual orientation
ghosted: the practice of ending a relationship by abruptly cutting off all contact with a person without providing any explanation as to why
golach: Scottish term for a small beetle or other arthropod insect
golden oriole: a small Eurasian bird with yellow and black (male) or green, brown and speckled white (female) plumage
Goliath: from the Bible, a Philistine giant killed by David in the Book of Samuel
gracias: Spanish for “thank you”
granary: room or building for the purpose of storing grain
grayling: silver-gray freshwater fish with horizontal violet stripes and a long, high dorsal fin
Guédelon : a building site currently under construction near Treigny. France that is an experimental archaeological project to build in twenty-five years a medieval castle using 13 th century materials and techniques
guise: an external appearance, form, or manner of presentation which usually conceals the true nature of something
haggis: a traditional Scottish dish made of oatmeal, seasonings, sheep’s organs and entrails, and suet, the mixture of which is boiled in the sheep’s stomach.
halfling: someone who is half Fae and half mortal, or conceived by two different types of Fae
hog-tying: tying together the hands and feet of an animal or person
harem: a group of sexual partners for one person
harlot: a prostitute
Heathrow: the main international airport serving London UK
Hibernians: an ancient name for Irish people
hissy fit: a southern term for an angry outburst or temper tantrum
hogwash: nonsense
homeboy: a young acquaintance from one’s own town, neighborhood or social circle
hoopla: excitement around an event or situation, especially when considered excessive or unnecessary
hoor: a whore
horde: a large group of people
horsehair pallet: a thin mattress stuffed with straw with a layer of wool and horsehair to provide support and warmth
hospice: a program or facility that provides end-of-life care for terminally ill people
HR: acronym for Human Resources
hypersexual: obsessed with sexual behaviors, thoughts or urges
hypothermic: a physical state in which there has been a significant and potentially dangerous drop in body temperature
impassioned: filled with or showing great passion
indebt: cause to owe money, a favor or an obligation
ingratiated: to have brought oneself into favor with someone else by fawning over, flattering or doing favors
intercalary: a day inserted into a calendar to have it synchronize with the solar year, such as February 29th
Japanese fairy feather silk: said to be the thinnest yarn-dyed silk fabric in the world
jetsetter: a wealthy, fashionable person who travels a great deal
jeddart: a polearm weapon with a double-headed axe attached to a four-foot-long wooden shaft with a handguard
jotunn: An old Norse word meaning giantess
joust: a medieval tournament event in which two opponents on horseback fight with lances while charging at each other
ken: Scottish slang for know
keepe: another name for the castle’s main, central building
Kepler-1606b: a potentially habitable planet orbiting a G-type star approximately 2,711 light years from Earth
kindred: one’s family and relatives
kitschy: anything considered to be in poor taste because of garishness or sappiness
lair: hide-out
lanyard: a length of string, cord or strap used to hold something, usually around the neck
Laws: a southern euphemism for Lord
leine: long-sleeved shirt
litany: a long, repetitive listing
lockjaw: an archaic term for blood poisoning
Looky Lou: a gawker
lowlands: low-lying region of Scotland east and south of the highlands
Lùnastal: Scots Garlic for the celebration for the start of the harvest, traditionally held on August 1st
mage: a magician or learned person
malodorous: smelling very unpleasant
manita: a diminutive form of hermanita; Spanish slang for little sister
mannerly: polite, well-mannered
mano: a diminutive form of hermano; Spanish slang for brother
mason: a skilled builder who works with stone, brick and/or other substantial materials
matador: a bull fighter
màthair: Scots Gaelic for mother
matriarch: a female who is the head of a family
maximalist: a style that embraces excess and abundance in the “more is more” sense
McKiernan: the name of a medieval Irish clan
Mecca: a place regarded as the center for a particular group, activity or interest
melia: a type of forest Fae who live inside pocket universes they create with trees as doorways
minced: Scottish slang for drunk
minion: a follower, servant or underling of a powerful person
mi corazon: Spanish for “my heart”
mi vida: Spanish for “my life” used as a term of endearment
mija: a Spanish endearment that is a contraction of mi hija, meaning literally “my daughter”
miscreant: someone who behaves badly
mo cheòl: Scots Gaelic for “my music”
mo chridhe: Scots Gaelic for “my heart”
mo ghrian: Scots Gaelic for “my sunshine”
mojo: magic power
molligrant: archaic Scots term for whining or complaining
mormaer: the king’s second-in-command
morrow: the next day
mucking: remove manure and dirt from a stall or space occupied by an animal
multiverse: a hypothetical part of multiple universes
myriad: a countless or extremely great number
mystified: bewildered, puzzled
NASCAR: acronym for The National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing
natal: birth
naught: nothing
nemesis: a long-standing rival or arch-enemy
neutralize: render ineffective or harmless
niche: a recess or hollow in a wall
nit-picky: overly focused on small, unimportant details
no manches: a Spanish phrase that means “Are you kidding?”
nocking: fitting an arrow to a bowstring to prepare to shoot
obese: very fat or overweight
otherworldly: someone or something not from this world
outlandish: far-fetched, ridiculous
pandering: catering, gratifying or indulging
papi: Spanish word meaning daddy but sometimes used as an affectionate term for a male significant other
paragon: a person or thing viewed as an excellent example
parlay, parley: bargain
Patterson and Gimlin: the surnames of two men who made a well-known short film of a creature in the woods that they claimed was Bigfoot.
pendejo: Spanish for a stupid or contemptible person
perilous: dangerous
perry: an alcoholic drink made from fermented pear juice
Phobos: the Greek god of fear and panic
pine marten: a small mammal similar to a weasel with a dark brown coat, golden fur patch on throat, and bushy tail
placate: make someone less angry or hostile
platonic: a relationship that is friendly and affectionate but non-sexual
podcaster: someone who makes an audio or video production, featuring music or talk, and posts it on the internet
pomander: an object containing aromatic substances used to make someone or something smell good
poppets: dolls
portcullis: a strong, heavy panel of grating that can be raised and lowered to open or block a gate
portents: signs or warnings of something about to happen, usually significant or calamitous
postpartum depression: an illness women suffer after giving birth, which causes them to suffer anxiety, exhaustion and sadness for an extended period of time
pottage: soup or stew
pox: a viral disease like smallpox or syphilis characterized by the eruption of pustules on the skin
primp: spending time excessively attending to one’s grooming
primordial: existed at or since the beginning of time
privy: medieval toilet
progeny: offspring
pyre: a pile of combustible material that is customarily used for burning a body in a funeral ceremony or ritual
quake: earthquake, also shook
Quantico: educational facility where new FBI agents receive their training; the campus also includes the FBI laboratory division, operational technology division, and their hostage rescue team.
quantum mechanics: a fundamental theory that describes the behavior of nature at or below the scale of atoms
quench: satisfy or put out
queue: waiting line
quicksilver: another name for the liquid metal mercury
quim: vagina
rebuffing: rejecting an overture from someone
red plague: ancient name for smallpox
RenFaire: short for Renaissance Faire
reproach: expression of disappointment or disapproval
reproof: an expression of blame or disapproval
resting bitch face: people with features that convey anger, aggravation or contempt when their face is at rest and has no expression
reticence: reserve
revenant: undead; zombie
reverent: worshipful
riffling: to form, flow or move in flutters and shifts
Riviera: the coastline between Cannes, France and La Speizia, Italy
salt of hartshorn: a type of ammonia made from animal hooves and antlers; used as smelling salts to revive someone who has fainted
salve (your pride): soothe, appease
sass: to be cheeky or rude to someone
scythe: a long-handled reaping tool with a curved blade
second: as it relates to Darro, second-in-command
SecureMail: a secure email service developed specifically for use by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. It offers end-to-end encryption and is designed to protect data from unauthorized access and tampering.
seemly: proper, appropriate
seneschal: Like a head steward, responsible for overseeing the medieval household, their stores, all domestic servants and their work
sepsis: the body’s extreme reaction to an infection which can shut down organs and result in death
sevenday: clanspeak for a week
shirk: deliberately avoid, neglect
shooting turkeys in a barrel: an analogy for something that is extremely easy
shroud: cloth or garment used to wrap a body
sickle: hand-held reaping tool with a curved blade
siege: an operation during which an attacking force surrounds their enemy’s position and cut off their supplies in order to force them to surrender
sienna: brown
simpleton: idiot
skyfalls: a reference to the waterfall that spills out of the clouds in the spell trap’s sky
sledge: a type of hammer with a heavy head and a long handle
slog: a variation of the word sluagh; the unforgiven dead who become zombie-like monsters in Scottish mythology
slumberous: sleepy
smelter: a furnace from extracting metals from ore
snips: scissors
snow job: an intensive effort at deception or persuasion
solar: a structure on Dun Talamh’s rooftop that is similar to a hothouse
spar: practice fighting
spiderlings: very young spiders
stasis: a period or interval of inactivity
stave: wooden fighting staff
stripling: a young man
stoic: a person who can endure pain or hardship without revealing their emotions or complaining
struts: supports
stupit: clanspeak for stupid
subservient: prepared to obey others without question
sully: damage the purity or good name of someone or something
sump pump: a type pf pump used to remove water from where it has collected
surmise: suppose something is true without evidence
surreal: unbelievable, fantastic, having the irrational qualities of a dream
swain: a young suitor or lover
sway: influence
sweet gale: an aromatic bog shrub
swill: scraps of kitchen and food waste mixed with water for the purpose of feeding pigs
swish: slur for a homosexual
swive: to have sexual intercourse
swoon: faint
tactile: of or connected with the sense of touch
tadger: Scottish slang for penis
tainted: spoiled, polluted
tally: a current amount or score
taquiera: a Mexican restaurant, food truck or stall that specializes in serving tacos
tchotchkes: knickknacks or trinkets
threshing: to separate grain from a plant, either with a flail or mechanically
throes: intense struggles
thumbing my nose: a southern phrase that means ignoring or disregarding in a rude way
Tighearnán mac Maenuigh: the 12 th century namesake of the Irish McKiernan Clan
tinnitus: ringing or other noises in the ear(s) that do not have an external source
titter: brief laughter; giggle
touched: southern slang for crazy
trapeze: a horizontal bar hanging from ropes that acrobats use to perform gymnastic-style tricks, usually as part of a circus performance
treadwheel crane: a wooden wheeled hoisting mechanism powered by a person or persons walking inside the wheel
trencher: a slab of wood with a shallow depression used for serving or plating food
trews: trousers
trifle: treat someone without respect
trifling: frivolous
tripling: Ulf’s term for a threesome
trollop: a woman who has a lot of casual sex with different partners
turncoat: traitor
tween: a child who is at a stage between childhood and adolescence, usually nine to twelve years old
twoday: clanspeak for 48 hours
v-card: slang for virginity
vassals: people in subordinate positions who serve a common master
Vaya con Dios: Spanish for Go with God
veg: clanspeak for vegetables
vermin: pests or nuisance animals that spread diseases and destroy crops, livestock and property
vexation: annoyance, aggravation, worry
vexing: annoying, aggravating, worrying
vibrio infection: a rare but serious bacterial infection often contracted by consuming raw seafood
vlogger: someone who makes short videos and posts them on the internet
Vogue: a monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine
voles: small burrowing rodents
Volstead Act: the informal name for the National Prohibition Act, ratified in 1919, which enacted the 18 th Amendment and prohibited alcoholic drinks
vortex: a mass of whirling air or water, like a whirlwind or a whirlpool
wallapers: Scottish slang for idiots
wallflower: someone who is too shy to join in or is excluded from a group
ward: enchanted with a shielding or protective spell
wee: small
wheedled: using flattery or coaxing in order to persuade someone
whelp: a young boy or girl
whey: the watery part of milk leftover from butter or cheese making
whilst: at the same time as
whim: a sudden impulse or change of mind
Whitechapel: infamous location in London where Jack the Ripper committed some of his murders
willow bark: bark of the willow tree, which contains salicin and is used in an infusion to treat pain
wimple: a medieval cloth headdress, usually made of linen or silk, which was worn by women to cover their hair, neck and the sides of their face
wistful: having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing
Ya basta: Spanish phrase meaning enough is enough
Yanks: UK slang for Americans
yett: iron grate used in place of a portcullis in medieval Scotland
yew: a coniferous tree, the wood of which was used to make longbows
zed: another name for zombies